SUPER SIX:

Arthur Abraham knocks out Jermain Taylor in final round

The Super Six World Boxing Classic began with a devastating right hand knockout from German

Associated Press

Germany’s Arthur Abraham, left, punches Jermain Taylor of the U.S., right, during their super middleweight boxing match at the Super Six Boxing Classic series in Berlin, Germany, early Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009. Abraham won by knockout in the 12th round.

Associated Press

Saturday, Oct. 17, 2009 | 10:59 p.m.

BERLIN -- Arthur Abraham knocked out Jermain Taylor with six seconds left Saturday, dramatically wrapping up a solid performance in the opening bout of the Super Six super middleweight tournament.

Abraham (31-0, 25 KOs), the former middleweight standout moving up to 168 pounds for the first time, was likely to win on points at O2 World Arena. But the unbeaten German-based Armenian champion caught Taylor with a right to the American's chin, dropping him senseless to the canvas.

"I need a couple of rounds to analyze my opponent," Abraham said. "And then I let him punch himself tired and then I strike back."

Taylor (28-4-1), the once-feared former middleweight champion from Arkansas, endured his fourth defeat in the last five fights, following two losses to Kelly Pavlik and a 12th-round stoppage last April by Carl Froch, who edged Andre Dirrell in the Super Six's second bout later Saturday night in Nottingham, England.

"He just surprised me with the right. I didn't see it," Taylor said. "But he hits hard, and he came to fight."

Taylor won the early rounds at the sold-out arena, but Abraham began taking control from the fifth. In the ninth, Abraham connected with a right hand to Taylor's head, leaving the former undisputed 160-pound champion on unsteady feet.

Among those in the 14,000-strong crowd was WBA champion Mikkel Kessler, also part of the tournament. Kessler will fight Andre Ward in Oakland, Calif., on Nov. 21 to complete the Super Six's first round.

"I was impressed with Abraham," said Kessler, who isn't scheduled to fight Abraham in the tournament's round-robin stage. "He let Taylor come at him for a couple of rounds and then just went after him, and he sure can hit hard."

The fight was the first of 12 bouts over the next 18 months to determine the champion in one of boxing's strongest divisions.

Abraham's next bout is against the speedy Dirrell (18-1), who was impressive in a split-decision defeat in Froch's hometown. Taylor will take on Ward next year.

Discussion: 3 comments so far…

By dgump

10/19/09 at 8:58 a.m.

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Jermain Taylor is an excellent athlete; a world-class rack star in the 400M in college (Arkansas)and a humble individual....he has lost his last four fights by knockout due to lack of conditioning which caused him to "gas out" badly in the later rounds....he doesn't have the discipline now (that he had in college-- as the 400M is one of the hardest events to train for) to train for 12 round fights....I would like to see Jermain Taylor train and fight in the UFC; he is lighting fast and is still young enough to test how a true boxing athlete would fare against fighters like Silva and other UFC talent.
By fosimmons

10/19/09 at 10:23 a.m.

Suggest removal

Idiots. They won't be able to think by the time they are adults.
By mamalove00

11/2/09 at 12:09 p.m.

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Jermain is an awesome athlete. I only hopes that he retires and uses his skills elsewhere. Be blessed, Patricia Page